Equal emphasis to livelihood recovery: Experts

Kathmandu, June 21: Nepal's key development partners have made unequivocal call to expedite reconstruction work that directly supports livelihoods recovery of the earthquake affected communities.

During a conference on ‘Livelihoods Recovery: Lessons Learnt and Way Forward’ organized here on Tuesday, they emphasized that livelihoods recovery should be given equal emphasis as building houses and other infrastructures.

Minister for Industry Som Prasad Pandey said the government was serious to speed up recovery of livelihoods for the people affected by last year's earthquake and urged the National Reconstruction Authority (NRA) to make its performance more visible on the ground.

Chief executive officer of the NRA Sushil Gyawali stated that there was huge potential for employment creation in the construction industry and the NRA had a target to create at least 25,000 masons and skilled workers in three months.

Australian ambassador to Nepal Glenn White said that Livelihoods Recovery was as important as reconstruction.

"Rebuilding houses is important. Livelihoods Recovery is more important as it helps families to make decision about their priorities whether they want to build house or send children to school or grow the business,” he remarked.

UNDP Country Director Renaud Meyer said that reconstruction should not only focus on buildings but rebuilding their lives and livelihoods.

He informed that Rapid Enterprises and Livelihoods Recovery Project (RELRP) supported by Australian Government had supported 14,000 micro-entrepreneurs to revive their enterprises and livelihoods.

“Along with it, UNDP's Community Infrastructure and Livelihoods Recovery Project has supported 20,000 households through the reconstruction of 81 vital community infrastructures like irrigation canals, cooperative buildings, drinking water and agricultural facilities,” he said.

The conference was organized by the Ministry of Industry, NRA and UNDP to share the lessons learnt during Livelihoods Recovery following last year's devastating earthquake.

In the sideline of the event, the exhibition of products of the micro entrepreneurs revived after the earthquake was also organized.